Heading to Florida

Thanksgiving weekend in the US, so the weekend should be lots of fun! Getting into TO airport; however, was another thing. At first the Captain told us we would be about 20 minutes late, arrive at about 1:10pm, our actual touch down was almost 1:40, needless to say, people were frantic. Ah Pearson...that is why I will not leave myself with less an 2 full hours for a TO connection...and in this case I had 3 hours, thank goodness!

So a wee sit in the lounge and I will be ready to board in a couple of hours...next stop...Florida sunshine!

On to Niagara Falls

After another truly fun Show in Welland, it was a quick zip to THE Falls for supper the last night there. Before getting to The Falls; however, we drove over The Welland Canal...a marvel itself.

And what a great tour Barb took us on! We got to drive past the amazing Oak Hall, the 37-room mansion built by mining millionaire Harry Oakes, which houses the offices of the Niagara Parks Commission. 

We then drove by the old and abandoned Toronto Power Generating Station, designed by E.J. Lennox, built in 1906, closed in 1974. The building was designated a national historic site in Canada in 1983...and it is truly a beautiful architectural delight, from the outside it appears as a grand mansion and there is no exterior evidence that it was a power station...all the 'works' are in the several stories behind and below the grand main floor, which sported mosaic tile floors and copper railings throughout. A shame that it cannot be toured, but just sits empty.

Ah well...off to supper and the glorious view of the Falls

The night lights shining on the Falls...not a lot of light for a photo, but that glimmer is spectacular in person!

Wednesday, last day on the Islands

And since it's Wednesday, it's off to the Aloha market...a tradition that is just fun to keep!

If you plan your trip right, you can go to the market on one of your first days...towels, t-shirts, all the stuff you need at market prices! The Aloha Market is on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. 

And then it was check out time, but I still have seven hours to breathe the island air, so I offered my lei to the sea and promised to return!

Lunch at Bubba Gumps...another island must.

This location (Ala Moana Mall) even has Jenny's wedding dress under glass!

The view from the deck tables

For those who want a Forrest pix while they wait.

Until my next visit to these beautiful islands...Much Aloha!!!

Paddle Boarding...harder than the Hawaiians make it look!

Tuesday...took my new bathing suit out on a paddle board! Great fun, except the waves today were really quite high and strong...that tropical storm in the south is really heaving the water. No pix I'm afraid, and since the waves dunked me about 5 times, it was a good thing I didn't have my phone or iPad with me!!!

Even the sidewalks give you a gorgeous view!

Sun was so bright that it was a silver blanket, almost hard on the eyes!

The Village is only a block from my suite, so went for a little more shopping...

A most spectacular sunset tonight.

Diamond Head

In all the times I've been to Hawaii, I never climbed Diamond Head, until today. Quite the climb, and the humidity and temps were a factor. But so worth the climbing effort!

Once you walk up to the first parking lot, you have to walk through a tunnel that you share with the traffic

One of the other bunkers on the ridge 

Green all along the way

Holes in the lava mountain

The trail is reminiscent of the Camino in spots

See all those little specks almost at the top? I'll be there soon...

 

One of the stairways that are part of the climb

View from about half way up, the back side of the crater

The stairway to the bunker

Part of the walk is through a rough cut tunnel

The bunker from the last curve of the climb

Waikiki Beach from way up here!

Hello from the edge!

Back to Waikiki for a swim to cool down and to soak up a few rays (through the intermittent cloud cover)

A lovely sunset ended a great day!

Hilo to Honolulu

After a great Dog Show, where my BIS was a Flat-coated Retriever, the other judges and I enjoyed watching a rainy night from the dinning room...there is a tropical storm in the Pacific, raging south of the islands. Hawaii being the southern most, is getting a bit of the spin-off. As its was supposed to rain for the next couple of days, I changed my ticket to leave Hawaii for Oahu to early morning.

Staying at the Waikiki Marina Tower, and this is my view if the marina and Waikiki beach from my 37th floor vantage...

In keeping with tradition, my first stop was to Duke's for a Lava Flow...I just love tradition!

The beautiful view of Diamondhead from Duke's

Dipping my feet in the ocean and digging my toes into the sand of Waikiki 

The waves started to swell a bit at about 4:00, so all the kids raced out for a few more rides before dark. Clouds rolled in but no rain, stayed beautifully warm and made for a great night for a walk...

Volcano National Park

An absolutely gorgeous day for the tour. Blue sky, a few puffy clouds and about 82 - 84f all day long. A few clouds rolled in and a few warm raindrops fell at the very end of the day...not that we noticed much. 

First stop, Rainbow Falls

So beautiful, and the mist creates a permanent rainbow, you just have to get the right angle!

Then on to the Park

Enter The Lava Tube...we only walked a few hundred meters through it, and then up some stairs, I guess there are some that go on for miles...

Bring a flashlight!

Back into the light

Bubble, bubble, toil n trouble

Steam vents in one of the craters

Lunch at the macadamia plantation

Black Sand Beach and then an end to the fabulous day!

Surf's up!